这Kazakh Eagle Hunters of Mongolia

约翰·格林斯曼（John Glinsman）的文章和照片

It is mid-afternoon in the western Mongolian countryside. Simon and I ride horses alongsideDondeand his eldest sonEDK。Dondespresence invokes respect. He is a stout man, with a bear-like body. I speculate about the large scar that runs the length of his cheek. Did he rescue one of his sheep from the mouth of a wolf, wrestling the wolf with his bare hands? As we later learned, the scar came from his eagle, when it swooped down onto his gloved hand, open talons accidentally coming into contact with his face.Donde是世界上千年来遍及世界各地的传统的一部分，这种传统很容易在接下来的几代人中死亡，即使不是这样的传统Donde他的儿子们进行了鹰狩猎的传统：使用鹰杀死猎物的高度改编的狩猎形式。过去，鹰猎人将鹰猎公司用作稀缺资源的众多生存技术之一，但如今，鹰狩猎大多仍然是一项运动。

当我骑马穿过贫瘠的月亮状景观时，我感到很活跃Bayan-Olgii，蒙古最远的西部地区。哈萨克人统治了该地区，逃离了共产党入侵他们的国家在这里找到慰藉。与居住在蒙古的其他种族类似，许多哈萨克人都采取传统的生活方式，饲养羊群，并生活在特殊的帐篷中Gersthat can be broken down and transported to a new location every season.

当我骑马时，我认为如果西方社会摆脱了汽车并依靠马背依靠（我发展的马鞍酸痛，乞求与众不同），那将是多么伟大。在蒙古，他们学会了一匹马学会走路时如何骑马。我今年26岁，我不知道该怎么骑马。起初感觉很尴尬，好像我要掉下来了。没有人教我如何骑车。我在整个地方弹跳。当然，这不像骑车那样舒适。但是这里很漂亮。天空很晴朗，天气很平静。DondeandEDK是哈萨克人，他们习惯了一天中大部分时间都在沉默中。当我们骑车时，我环顾四周的美丽。这些人不需要考虑停下来欣赏这一视野，因为他们一生的大部分时间都像这样。

After the initial awkwardness of a new experience, Simon and I get a little more comfortable riding our horses. Remembering a few tricks from old western movies, I yell: “Yah!” and kick my horse with both feet. The horse, in response, picks up the pace.Donde大喊：“Jacer” which means, “Well done.” We ascend the north side of the mountains adjacent toDondesGer。A light covering of snow adds a layer of white to the already remarkably pure landscape. I gaze upon the stark beauty of my surroundings. The inspiration of the land fills my imagination with thoughts of moving to Mongolia, and living a nomadic lifestyle. I want to buy aGerand take care of flocks on my horse in this wild, unregulated land.

Unlike a typical day outdoors in the Western world, we have not brought anything with us. No first aid kit, no daypack, no food or water. I did not sign a release waiver to come out here. Those who live in the Western world generally cannot understand this mindset. It would be labeled as unsafe. I stuff my gloves and camera into the front of my reddel，它是一种小袋。它让我想起了塞尔达传说，好像我有一个装满魔法物体的小袋一样。这delis the traditional Mongolian garb for keeping warm. I purchased it inUlaanbataar, the capital of Mongolia, to ward off the cold of western Mongolia, about which many a soul forewarned me. However, the beginning of October does not feel that cold to me. Later on, in December and January, it will get cold, occasionally reaching temperatures as low as –40 F. But today, the temperature is comfortable enough to be outside. Wearing my reddel, I feel like I am on a quest. When I was young, I went on many imaginary quests. Today’s journey fulfills these boyhood adventures. I am riding on a horse, in a foreign land, dressed in a magic garment, and there is a man riding with an eagle perched on his forearm in front of me—all the elements of an adventure. What will become of our present quest?

We have now been riding for maybe an hour.EDKheads off to a certain spot, whileDonde鹰升高。EDK扔石头并发出噪音，以试图从岩石斜坡下吓到动物。同时，Donde已经从鹰头上取下了面具。在训练过程中，鹰猎人在鹰上戴上口罩，并将一块大石头绑在爪子上。每当鹰试图用面具飞行时，它就不能，因为它与石头绑在一起。最终，鹰有条件相信，当它戴上面具时，它就不会飞。鹰学会了信任其主人，并在删除面具时会飞回其主人。移除面膜时，激光尖锐的眼睛搜寻猎物。

Dondehas passed on the tradition of eagle hunting toEDK，他的大儿子。虽然穿着皮大衣，嘴里有香烟，但EDKdiffers in many respects from the characteristics of western men. He acts with definiteness and without hesitation. He does not smile that often, and he is not soft. There is a gap of “otherness” that separates me from him. Simon and I followEDKas he moves from spot to spot, without saying anything to us. Words are not needed to follow a Kazakh man on a horse. Spotting some tracks,EDK带领我们朝着他们的方向发展。他们是tulka: the red tailed fox, the prized prey for the eagle hunters. If we have success in killing atulka，老鹰猎人会吃肉，并用红色外套制作装饰性装饰品和传统的皮毛帽子。再次，EDKoverturns stones and makes noises, but to no success. Riding down to meet us,Dondesays “jok”实际上，这意味着“不”，但我认为他在说哈萨克语为某些动物说的，所以我说jok回来，好像我知道我在说什么。

我们下降到我们下方的山谷，开始上山脊。这次，我们和Donde到达EDK留在下面。在页岩的垂直床上航行，我们欣赏延伸到我们下面的山谷的冲积鳍的景色。每次我们来到波峰时，Dondestops and removes the mask from his eagle to scope out prey. Dismounted, we take photos of his silhouetted figure as he stands with his back to us, his arm outstretched with the eagle. We continue from one crest to the next without success. Even though there are no animals around,Dondereleases his bird into the air. The eagle soars into the valley below. Will the eagle come back? What is going to happen? I gaze in wonder, marveled by the thought that a flying creature and a human could develop a trusting relationship. If this bird wanted to, it could take off for good, soaring away into the vast blue open expanse of western Mongolia. It doesn’t fly away, nor does it come back. Instead, the bird lands on the top of a butte in the valley below, non-responsive toDonde的summoning yelps. Finally,DondeandEDKdescend the valley to retrieve the eagle. Once closer to the bird, they finally succeed in getting the bird to fly down from the butte, andDonde骑马取回它。我想鹰狩猎并不总是经过微调。我的骑马也没有进行微调。西蒙和我现在远远落后了，努力让我们的马下降到陡峭的斜坡上，与我们的鹰狩猎同伴见面。我不明白为什么DondeandEDK当我踢，大喊并命令我看似顽固的马时，骑着同一个斜坡骑着同一个斜坡，无济于事。我的马没有直接下降，而是从一侧到另一侧移动，而只是偶尔会下降。我完全像是我是愚蠢的外国游客。

Before we are halfway down the slope,DondeandEDKmeet us, and the four of us ascend back to the top of the ridge. Arriving at the top, our horses still move awkwardly and slowly.EDKpauses to adjust a strap on my saddle, when suddenly another Kazakh man emerges over the top of the ridge, yelling words in Kazakh that I do not understand. Seated on a horse with another horse tied behind, he has a rifle strapped over his shoulder. Whatever he yells generates a lot of excitement, and the next thing I know, we are galloping off quickly to the other side of the ridge. Across from me, I seeDonde，鹰栖息在他的手臂上，没有口罩，激光尖锐的眼睛在下面的东西上零。在一秒钟内，我看到鹰在空中，一个大生物从山坡的斜坡上跑出来。像狗一样的生物太大了，无法成为狐狸。这是狼！我不敢相信我的眼睛！在这里与鹰猎人见面之前，我询问了老鹰狩猎的动物类型。他们列出了各种小生物，例如狐狸和兔子，然后说：“狼。”我无法想象一只鹰怎么能击倒像狼一样大的生物。粉刷在墙上Bayan-Olgii, I saw a dramatic scene of a wolf, lying on its back, teeth snarled in surprise, as an eagle swoops from above, razor sharp talons aimed at its head. Now I am watching this very scene unfold before my eyes!

这eagle soars downward, making a series of concentric circles around the wolf, each time circling a little bit lower. My body is filled with anticipation as if I am on the bench watching my fellow hockey mates during the third period of a tied game. It is uncertain what will happen. Will the eagle eventually swoop down on the wolf, or will it keep flying? Will the wolf get away? The wolf is now at the bottom, running across rocky ground, the eagle getting closer and closer as it makes it circles. It happens! The eagle swoops down on the wolf, knocking the wolf to the ground. I let out a yell louder than the screams of fans who cheer a player’s score. Next thing I know, the wolf is back on its feet, running away, with the eagle flying low to the ground in pursuit of it. The two disappear behind some rocks. We do not know what has happened to either of them.EDKgoes galloping off after them. I look over atDonde。He doesn’t seem excited. I wonder what is going on in his head.

Dondeleaves Simon and me with this mystery hunter who suddenly emerged from nowhere. We start to descend to the bottom. We are going so slowly that the mystery hunter makes us get off of our horses and leads them down by rope. He makes a notion to me, sticking out his tongue, rolling his eyes, and slicing his neck with his finger, which could mean that the eagle killed the wolf, or the wolf killed the eagle—or I want to kill you! I am mindful of the rifle he has on his shoulder. Near the bottom, we come uponDondeandEDK。这y have no wolf, nor eagle.EDK骑一个方向，而Donde骑着另一个方向，要求他的鹰回来。没有鹰回来。Dondelooks concerned. We wait forEDK。After quite a while,EDK带着鹰在他的手臂上回来。Dondeexamines his eagle. As far as I can tell, the eagle is okay.Donde看着西蒙和我，摇了摇头，用嘴唇发出颤抖的声音。我不确定他的意思。

Now, with the eagle safe onDonde的arm, we begin the journey home. Having a good part of the day behind me, I feel more confident in my horse riding skills. I want to go fast. Using the whip they gave me earlier in the day, I whack my horse on its hind. The horse takes off, galloping at what seems like a very high speed to me. I am doing all I can to stay on the horse, as my body bounces to and fro all over the place. I don’t know how to make the horse stop, as I struggle to stay on. I know it is only a matter of time before I am thrown off, so I roll off the side, making sure to get my feet out of the stirrups so that I don’t get caught and dragged on the ground. My reddelkeeps me from getting scraped up. After I fall off, my horse stops. I brush the dirt off of me, and show some love to my horse. It’s not his fault.DondeandEDKsmile at me and laugh. Now, every time I get ahead of them, they yell: “John, John.” I feel controlled. I was just starting to get the knack of this horse riding thing.

Hot yak milk’s tea and a warm meal await us back at theGer。Baxa，我们的翻译人员以及另一个女人为我们准备了土豆，羊肉和大米。西蒙和我用食物刷新了我们的身体。我没有意识到这是一顿不寻常的饭菜。在接下来的三个星期中，我的大部分饭菜都将包括令人失望和不满意的炸花球Baursac。During, our meal, our translator explains what happened during the encounter with the wolf. Apparently,Dondeinadvertently released the ropes with which he held the eagle in his gloved hand. Because of its training, the inexperienced 2-year-old eagle flew after the wolf. Normally, the eagle hunters would not release a sole eagle to take on a very dangerous animal like a wolf—perhaps two or three eagles. IfDonde的eagle had succeeded in killing the wolf, it would have been famous. Maybe they would have written songs about it.

在袭击中，狼咬了老鹰的爪子。EDKlathers the eagle’s injured talon in a bowl, disinfecting the wound with medicine.Dondepets his eagle affectionately, and presses his cheek up against the eagle’s face. That day, as he watched his bird soaring in the air,Dondewondered if he would ever see it alive again. He would cry if he lost his eagle.

After the meal, Simon,Baxa, and I walk by the river. Simon and I skip stones. I rememberBaxa’swords spoken on the previous day as I listen to the gentle calm of the current: “To listen to the voice of the river is good for the mind.” As dark approaches, we go back inside theGer。Inside theGer, we sit in a circle with other men from the community and eat another meal (two good meals in one day would be something I would come to value later on during my time with the eagle hunters). Upon finishing dinner, Simon and I take shots of vodka with the older men.Donde的sons, although older than us, do not drink.Baxa解释说，他们害怕在父亲面前喝酒。使用Baxa为了为我们翻译，我们做吐司。我希望将未来的鹰取得成功，也希望我不会再掉下马。我的第二个愿望一定要问太多了，因为两天后，我的马绊倒了一块岩石，把我送到了地上。西蒙希望那样Donde的eagle becomes the best eagle ever. After the other men leave,Dondeasks some questions about us. We sit on each side of him. He puts his hand upon each of us, showing acceptance. It is a remarkable end to the day, to have acceptance from this man of men, this warrior eagle hunter, husband, father, and master herdsman.

很少见证一只鹰杀死狐狸或tulka。经过十天的狩猎，可能看不到任何行动。看到一只鹰去狼去更加罕见。在第一天见证这一点几乎是奇迹。确实是一个特殊的一天。

John Glinsman从挪威到越南的陆上旅行时，参观了鹰猎人。